Kerala village Aymanam, setting of Arundhati Roy novel, on l of 30 best places to visit in 2022
Aymanam, a quaint village in Kerala which was the setting Arundhati Roy’s Booker Prize-winning novel ‘The God of Small Things’, has made it to the Condé Nast’s l of 30 best places to visit in the world in 2022.
Featured alongside locations in countries like US, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Singapore, Japan and Egypt on the l, Aymanam’s tourism initiatives were awarded in 2021 for its focus on boosting local employment and nature conservation. Other places in India that made it to the l were Bhimtal, Sikkim, Odisha, Goa, Kolkata among others.
About Aymanam, the popular travel magazine said, “..it’s the stuff that makes people dream of taking a writing retreat to become a published author, or plugging out in a digital detox, or living a simple life close to nature.”
Travellers to Aymanam can experience bird-watching, long walks through paddy fields, visit temples and churches, taste rich coconut-preparations, hop on boat rides and watch performances of Kathakali and martial artform Kalaripayattu.
The village, located on the idyllic backwaters in Kottayam drict, has Lake Vembanad to its west and is also bordered the Meenachil river.
Kerala Tourism Miner PA Mohamed Riyas acknowledged the recognition, saying, “Aymanam maybe a tiny village, but its prine charm is spellbinding and its cultural diversity spectacular. Till recently, it was largely an unexplored area for tours, but its recognition as a model RT Village has changed its profile on the global tourism map. The recognition Conde Nast is a huge testament to it.”
“It is an important recognition which will spur us to give an impetus to our efforts to set up Responsible Tourism projects across the state,” he added.
